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PURPOSE:
This Notice explains the carriage requirements for AIS. It provides performance standards,
guidelines for installation and elaborates on the forthcoming SOLAS regulation regarding the annual
test as from 1 July 2012. It further provides National requirements. This Notice supersedes Rev.
7/12 and reflects the addition of the text of reference (c) above as Appendix 2.
APPLICABILITY:
The IMO has established mandatory carriage requirements for approved AIS equipment
under SOLAS, Ch. V, Reg. 19.2.4, which became effective on 01 July 2002. Carriage requirements
apply to:
(a) all ships of 300 gross tons (GT) and upwards engaged on international voyages;
(b) cargo ships of 500GT and upwards not engaged on international voyages; and
(c) all passenger ships irrespective of size.
All Ships means any ship, vessel or craft irrespective of type and purpose. Therefore, these
regulations shall apply to all registered private and commercial yachts and fishing vessels.
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Inquiries concerning the subject of this Notice should be directed to the Office of the Maritime Administrator, Republic of the Marshall
Islands, c/o Marshall Islands Maritime and Corporate Administrators, Inc., 11495 Commerce Park Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1506 USA. The
most current version of all Republic of the Marshall Islands Marine Notices may be found at www.register-iri.com.
MI-01, Rev. 1/12
REQUIREMENTS:
1.0 Implementation
1.1 All ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002 must be fitted with an approved AIS.
1.2 Existing ships engaged on international voyages constructed before 1 July 2002 must be
fitted according to the following timetable:
.2 Tankers – not later than the first Safety Equipment Survey after 1 July 2003.
Note: The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires all tankers operating in
U.S. navigable waters to be fitted with AIS by 1 July 2003.
.2 300GT and upward but less than 50,000GT – not later than the first Safety
Equipment Survey after 1 July 2004 or by 31 December 2004, whichever occurs
earlier.
Note: The first Safety Equipment Survey means the first annual survey, the first periodical
survey, or the first renewal survey for safety equipment, whichever is due first after
1 July 2004 and, in addition, in the case of ships under construction, the initial
survey.
1.4 Existing ships not engaged on international voyages, constructed before 1 July 2002 must be
fitted not later than 1 July 2008.
1.5 All Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) flag vessels are expected to comply in
accordance with the above schedule of implementation. Nautical Inspectors shall be
assessing vessels for compliance.
2.0 Operation
2.1 There is a companion 2002 amendment to SOLAS that requires that all ships fitted with AIS
maintain the AIS in operation at all times except where international agreements, rules or
standards provide for the protection of navigational information. With respect to this
requirement, Masters should be aware of Regulation 8 of Chapter XI-2 of SOLAS, titled
“Masters discretion for ship safety and security.” This regulation reinforces and provides the
Master with significant discretion concerning the safety and security of his or her ship where
continued operation of the AIS would pose a higher risk.
2.3 For these and similar other reasons, the ship’s Master may exercise discretionary authority to
switch the device off if safety is deemed to be compromised by its continued operation. Such
action, however, shall be properly recorded in the official log and reported to the Company
Security Officer and any Coastal State Authority with a vested interest in accordance with
Ship Security Plan provisions. Safety concerns shall always override those of maritime
security.
An amendment in SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 18 has entered into force as of 1 July 2012.
As per IMO Resolution MSC.308(88) the amendment adds a new paragraph 9 after the
existing paragraph 8, which requires that:
“9 The automatic identification system (AIS) shall be subjected to an annual test. The
test shall be conducted by an approved surveyor or an approved testing or servicing facility.
The test shall verify the correct programming of the ship static information, correct data
exchange with connected sensors as well as verifying the radio performance by radio
frequency measurement and on-air test using, e.g., a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS). A copy
of the test report shall be retained on board the ship.”
Further, it is the understanding of the RMI Maritime Administrator (the “Administrator”) that
the Guidelines on Annual Testing of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) as contained
in MSC.1/Circ.1252 (see Appendix 1), although predating the new SOLAS regulation, have
not been revoked; therefore the Administrator still gives effect to these guidelines provided
that the approved surveyor or approved testing or servicing facility is authorized by an IACS
member duly recognized by the Administrator.
4.1 On 15 August 2003, the USCG set policy for ships trading with the U.S. When an
amendment to Chapter V of SOLAS and a provision in USCG regulations address the same
navigational safety concern and when applying both would result in an unnecessary
duplication of inconsistency between Chapter V and the USCG regulation, the USCG will
accept the provision under Chapter V as meeting the corresponding USCG regulation. This
will apply to dates of implementation of the respective requirements. In other words, if a
vessel meets the new SOLAS requirements, the vessel will also meet the requirements of any
future USCG regulations regarding SOLAS navigational equipment, including AIS.
MSC.1/Circ.1252
ANNEX
1. The annual testing of the automatic identification system (AIS) should be carried out by a
qualified radio inspector authorized by an IACS Classification Society duly recognized by the
Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator.
.3 the ability of the AIS to receive ships dynamic information from the appropriate
sensors;
.6 an on-air test that the unit is working correctly using for example an appropriate
Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) station or a suitable test equipment.
3. To accommodate performance test to align with the appropriate survey under the Harmonized
System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), the annual testing may be carried out:
.1 up to three (3) months before the due date of the passenger ship renewal survey or the
cargo ship safety equipment renewal survey; and
.2 three (3) months before or after the due date of the cargo ship safety equipment
periodical/annual survey (the maximum period between subsequent test is governed
by the time window associated to the subsequent surveys, unless either certificate has
been extended as permitted by SOLAS regulation 1/14, in which case a similar
extension may be granted by the Administration).
4. The annual testing should be recorded in the form of the model test report given in the
appendix. If the language used is neither English, nor French, nor Spanish, the text should include a
translation into one of these languages, as appropriate. A copy of the test report should be retained
on board the ship.
Remarks:
The AIS has been tested according to IMO SN/Circ.227 and resolution MSC.74(69), annex 3
Name of Radio Inspector Date and place Name of Radio Inspector
Company
On October 22nd, 2003 the Coast Guard published a Final Rule that amended a previously
promulgated Interim Rule, that harmonized the AIS mandates of the Safety of Life at Sea
Convention, as amended by the 73rd (MSC 73) and 76th Session (MSC 76) , and, the Maritime
Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) , which delineates U.S. AIS carriage requirements as
follows:
(a) The following vessels must have a properly installed, operational, type approved AIS as of
the date specified:
(1) Self-propelled vessels of 65 feet or more in length, other than passenger and fishing vessels,
in commercial service and on an international voyage, not later than December 31, 2004.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the following, self-propelled vessels, that
are on an international voyage must also comply with SOLAS, as amended, Chapter V, regulation
19.2.1.6, 19.2.4, and 19.2.3.5 or 19.2.5.1 as appropriate (Incorporated by reference, see § 164.03):
(i) Passenger vessels, of 150 gross tonnage or more, not later than July 1, 2003;
(ii) Tankers, regardless of tonnage, not later than the first safety survey for safety
equipment on or after July 1, 2003;
(iii) Vessels, other than passenger vessels or tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage or more, not
later than July 1, 2004; and
(iv) Vessels, other than passenger vessels or tankers, of 300 gross tonnage or more but less
than 50,000 gross tonnage, not later than the first safety survey for safety equipment on or after July
1, 2004, but no later than December 31, 2004.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, the following vessels, when
navigating an area denoted in table 161.12(c) of § 161.12 of this chapter, not later than December 31,
2004.
(i) Self-propelled vessels of 65 feet or more in length, other than fishing vessels and
passenger vessels certificated to carry less than 151 passengers-for-hire, in commercial service;
(ii) Towing vessels of 26 feet or more in length and more than 600 horsepower, in
commercial service;
(iii) Passenger vessels certificated to carry more than 150 passengers-for-hire.
Note to § 164.46(a): “Properly installed” refers to an installation using the guidelines set forth
in IMO SN/Circ.227 (Incorporated by reference, see § 164.03). Not all AIS units are able to
broadcast position, course, and speed without the input of an external positioning device (e.g.
(b) The requirements for Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge radiotelephones in §§ 26.04(a) and (c), 26.05,
26.06 and 26.07 this chapter, also apply to AIS. The term “effective operating condition” used in §
26.06 includes accurate input and upkeep of AIS data fields.
(c) The use of a portable AIS is permissible, only to the extent that electromagnetic interference
does not affect the proper function of existing navigation and communication equipment on board,
and such that only one AIS unit may be in operation at any one time.
(d) The AIS Pilot Plug, on each vessel over 1,600 gross tons, on international voyage, shall be
available for pilot use, easily accessible from the primary conning position of the vessel, and near
120 volt, AC power, 3-prong receptacle.
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